(a) (1) Every person who is licensed to practice acupuncture in this state shall register, on forms prescribed by the board that may include an application for an initial license or for renewal of a license, each place of practice and apply to the board to obtain a wall license for each place of practice.

(2) A wall license shall be renewed biennially, coinciding with the license renewal date. A licensee with a wall license issued before January 1, 2021, shall not be required to apply for a new wall license until the licensee’s next license renewal date.

(3) If the licensee has no place of practice, the licensee shall notify the board of that fact on a form prescribed by the board. A wall license is not required to be posted when a licensee performs acupuncture treatments outside of the licensee’s place of practice. However, the licensee shall carry a pocket license during treatments outside of the licensee’s place of practice and make the pocket license available upon request.

(4) A licensee shall register each place of practice within 30 days after the date of the licensee being licensed by the board or the establishment of a new place of practice, whichever occurs first.

(b) (1) An acupuncturist licensee shall post a wall license issued by the board to the licensee in a conspicuous location in each place of practice at all times.

(2) If an acupuncturist licensee has more than one place of practice, the licensee shall obtain from the board a separate wall license for each additional location and post the assigned wall license at each location.

(c) A licensed acupuncturist shall not display any acupuncture wall license that is not currently active and valid.

(d) (1) If a licensee changes the location of a place of practice, the licensee shall apply for the change of location within 30 days of changing the licensee’s place of practice on forms prescribed by the board.

(2) If a licensee fails to apply for a new wall license with the board due to a change of location within the time prescribed by this subdivision, the board may deny renewal of the license.

(e) (1) A wall license is nontransferable.

(2) Any change to the registered location in connection with the wall license, such as moving, requires a new wall license, and the former wall license shall be returned to the board with a request for cancellation.

(3) The licensee shall apply to the board to obtain a new wall license using the forms prescribed by the board for the new wall license or change of location.

(f) (1) An acupuncturist shall be responsible for the acupuncture, Asian massage services, or any other practice specified under Section 4937 rendered pursuant to the license of the acupuncturist in each place of practice maintained by the acupuncturist.

(2) An acupuncturist maintaining more than one place of practice shall ensure that each place of practice is in compliance with the standards of practice requirements of this chapter.

(g) As used in this section:

(1) “Place of practice” means an acupuncture office where any act of acupuncture is practiced and includes a place of practice in which the applicant holds a proprietary interest of any nature whatsoever or in which the licensee holds any right to participate in the management or control thereof.

(2) “Wall license” means an official document that is issued by the board upon application for a place of practice and has a unique identification number that is specific to the location provided by the licensee in the application.

(h) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2021.

(Repealed (in Sec. 1) and added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 308, Sec. 2. (AB 779) Effective January 1, 2020. Section operative January 1, 2021, by its own provisions.)